I finished the outside of my garage last year, now I am going to trying to finish the inside of it up this year. I have been agonizing over a floor coating. I want something that is chemical resistant, but that doesn't cost 3-4 thousand. Keep in mind I am covering 1560 sq ft. What are my options? I can get a clear coat sealer from this place: http://www.convergentconcrete.com/main/main.html
that is fuel resistant for $800. What have the rest of your guys done? Thanks.

I just did mine. Epoxy coat! Look it up on line. You could do it for around 800 to 1000.
It is not water based. Prep is the main thing. Is your floor coated or sealed? If it is, you will have to grind it, or have it blasted. You will love it when its done.
Chris

I have read about epoxies, polyasparatics, etc. My floor was poured about a year and a half ago, but it has not been used yet. It is just bare clean concrete. I would either have to shot blast it or chemically etch it. I am checking the price on some epoxy now, but I am not sure it will be within budget. I understand that with epoxies you want 100% solids that is solvent based, not water based.

Gambit! All you have to do is acid wash it. This etches it. Then apply the coating. You have it made. Its easy! It levels itself.
Chris

Sorry ! Jason!

I used the quick create<sp>brand Epoxy coating from Lowe's. 2 kits did my 24x24 garage, I think it was $65 or so per kit.(kit included acid for etching,epoxy paint,activator,and colored flakes)

I soaked a paint stick that I used to mix the paint in brake kleen for 6 hrs.... never softened, and everything has wiped up so far.

I used Valspar Epoxy Concrete Coating... I think I paid less than $50/gallon kit thru Lowes about 6 yrs ago. The KEY is to clean/etch... and then dry well... before coating. I did those steps twice on new concrete. It's still good after 6 years; it hasn't come up, it hasn't suffered hot tire pickup... and it cleans up so easily.... (but is slippery when wet!)

Since I am doing such a large amount of floor I hate to take a chance with one of the water based cheaper epoxies, I want to do this once and not have to worry about it. If I could buy epoxy locally I would be much more inclined to use it, but if I have to pay shipping it really gets expensive fast. I have read that Devoe paints make a good epoxy at a reasonable price, but there isn't anyone around me that sells that brand. I only live about 90 miles from Nashville, TN and I haven't even found any place there where I can buy epoxy...there might be one, but I haven't found it yet.

i used Benjamen Moore epoxy and the clear you had listed in originally post very happy. Can be tinted to any color. I also put multi color chips on color then cleared it. After it set a couple days i put a couple coats of floor wax on it to keep overspray and drips from sticking to floor. Don't use any stronger etch than necessary because it will remove portland cement leaving a porus surface with will decrease your coverage of epoxy.

We laid down 5000' of this in February:

http://www.anchorpaint.com/proddetail.asp?w=i&id=81

Good stuff. We have it at another shop that's held up well after about 10 years. And if you get pissed off at a pipe wrench and decide to throw it down from 15' up, it won't hurt it :D

Dave,

That looks like some pretty good stuff. While it is not 100% solids, it still looks like it has decent specs. I wish I had a local distributor around me.

One coat covered well. 2nd coat would be even better, but we had no interest in doing that twice. :noway:

Says there are over 20 independent dealers in addition to their own, but doesn't show a list of those.

I used a product called Supercoat from Orleans Enterprises on my basement floor. I don't recommend it at all. I saw it advertised in a woodworking magazine and fell for the sales pitch on the phone. PM me if you need all the details.

Jeff

Some good reading on the subject.... Check out the "sticky" threads :thumbsup:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20

Thanks Tim, I read on the garage journal quite often, that is where I have got most of my information on the subject.
I guess I just live in a really bad area to try and find anything that can be purchased locally.

I used the quick crete epoxy from Lowes that Doug used. It's held up well so far as well and wasn't expensive.

My concrete floor is solid, but has places that could use patching, What would be the thing to use to patch small dings so I would have a really nice smooth finish?
Thanks
RJ

Go to Lowes/Home Depot. They make a concrete patch material. You'll find it next to the floor epoxy coatings.

thanks
RJ

I don't see anyone piping up about U-Coat-It. That's the one I wondered about. It would cost about $500 to do the epoxy and chemical resistant coat on a 25x25 garage but is supposed to be lifetime guaranteed. Plus, it goes down on a wet floor. It's certainly one of the most advertised....

My problem is that I have nowhere to put my stuff while I do the floor and jackstands don't roll good!

I did mine one side at a time. When I coated the second side I did a stepped overlap and I can hardly see it.

I used the quick create<sp>brand Epoxy coating from Lowe's. 2 kits did my 24x24 garage, I think it was $65 or so per kit.(kit included acid for etching,epoxy paint,activator,and colored flakes)

I soaked a paint stick that I used to mix the paint in brake kleen for 6 hrs.... never softened, and everything has wiped up so far.
Check for PM, D.

capt

I don't see anyone piping up about U-Coat-It. That's the one I wondered about. It would cost about $500 to do the epoxy and chemical resistant coat on a 25x25 garage but is supposed to be lifetime guaranteed. Plus, it goes down on a wet floor. It's certainly one of the most advertised....

My problem is that I have nowhere to put my stuff while I do the floor and jackstands don't roll good!

i used U-COAT-IT on my floor around 7 years ago. it came out beautiful and lasted so far perfectly. the idea of the wet floor is so that the water will actually draw the covering right into the pours of the floor. once it dries, any liquids splilled are wiped up with a paper towel and you never knew they were there. it is done in 2 steps, first the color goes down and then the clear.

its alittle pricey but well worth it.

I don't see anyone piping up about U-Coat-It. That's the one I wondered about. It would cost about $500 to do the epoxy and chemical resistant coat on a 25x25 garage but is supposed to be lifetime guaranteed. Plus, it goes down on a wet floor. It's certainly one of the most advertised....

My problem is that I have nowhere to put my stuff while I do the floor and jackstands don't roll good!

I Did U-Coat It on mine 24x24 - was about 550 woth clearcoat 2.5 years it has scatched up in a couple places -I learned alot putting it down - could of done it better - live and learn. I like it - wipes up easy - very slippery when wet!! even with traction grit so be carefull when it wet out. when I do my shop I will probably try the quick crete epoxy from Lowes.

I have been looking for floor solutions to my garage too. I cannot do the epoxy because there is no way I can fully empty my 3 car garage for the time it takes to clean, coat, dry a paint-on floor.

Has anyone used commercial grade vinyl tiles?

They are relatively cheap 70 cents sq ft, comes in many colors and can be done in small sections. I can lay these myself (done tiles before), but I am unsure how well they will hold up to car weights and they should be cleaned/waxed peroidically.

Any thoughts?

Kevin , I had the same issue , too much stuff to clear out all at once so I did one half at a time in my 28 x 40 shop then did my 2 car garage floor.
I used Rustoleum 2 part epoxy, looks great and we'll see how long it lasts.

Has anyone used commercial grade vinyl tiles?
Any thoughts?
If I'm not mistaken Ed Fanning Chevrolet had linoleum tile in their showroom with Camaros, Chevelles, and Corvettes all over it. A neighbor of mine has ceramic in his, don't know how that's working out. My issue with ceramic would be the smooth tiles are slippery when wet and the rough tile would be impossible to clean plus there is that impact factor as well.

Jeff

check your local walmart for u coat it here fl i found 3 u coat kits at walmart marked down to $28 each kit, eack kit will do 250 sq feet. it was in the auto section.

Kevin , I had the same issue , too much stuff to clear out all at once so I did one half at a time in my 28 x 40 shop then did my 2 car garage floor.
I used Rustoleum 2 part epoxy, looks great and we'll see how long it lasts.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh243/jerry1258/IMG_2604.jpg

I don't mean to be a pain, but as as, well a lazy person, why coat it at all?

My floor is 20 years old and I figure its fine as is.

DITTO to 67sc